BEFORE 


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AN  ADDEESS 


DELIVERED 


BEFORE  THE  TWO  LITERARY  SOCIETIES 


NEW  INSTITUTE, 


Iredell  Co.,  N.  C,  June  6th,  1855. 


BY  EEY.   N.   H.   D.   WILSON. 


PRINTED   AT   THE    OFFICE   OP   THE   "CAROLINA   WATCHMAN. 
1855. 


CORRESPONDENCE. 


New  Inbtitute,  N.  C,  June  6th,  1855. 


Rev.  and  Dear  Sir  : 


We  are  authorized  by  the  Philomathean  Society  to  tender  to  you  their 
Bineere  thanks  for  the  excellent  address  delivered  by  you  to-day  and  respectfully 
request  of  you  a  copy  for  publication. 

Yours,  most  respectfully, 
^  G.  W.  WEAVER, 

O.  F.  CLEGG,         [Committee. 
J.  W.  KIRK, 
Rev.  N.  H.  D.  Wilson. 


Parsonage,  New  Institute, 
Iredell  Co.,  N.  C,  June  7th,  1855. 
YouNa  Gentlemen  : 

Your  note  of  yesterday  has  been  received  and  considered.  In  reply 
allow  me  to  say,  without  endorsing  the  opinion  of  your  society,  expressed  through 
you,  that  my  address  should  be  published,  or  on  the  other  hand,  affecting  to  be- 
lieve that  it  possesses  no  merit,  in  compliance  with  your  request  I  place  a  copy 
at  your  disposal. 

Very  respectfully  yours, 

N.  H.  D.  WILSON. 
G.  W.  WEAVER,    ) 
O.  F.  CLEGG,  }  Committee, 

J.  W.  KIRK,  ) 


:-? 


ADDKESS 


tFoung  Gentlemen  of  the 

P-hilomathean  and  CiGeronian  Societies  : 

The  large  portion  of  my  time  which  I  foresaw  and  foretold 
you  would  be  required  in  the  performance  of  other  duties, 
which  caused  me 'to  hesitate  when  requested  to  address  you, 
is  a  sufficient  reason  why  I  have  not  made  such  preparation 
as  is  desirable,  and  as  I  should  have  made  under  more  favor- 
able circumstances.  I  have,  however,  hastily  thrown  together 
some  thoughts  which  I  trust  may  be  useful. 

In  choosing  a  theme  for  your  reflection,  I  have  not  felt 
called  upon  to  attempt  a  definition  of  education,  an  argument 
in  its  favor,  or  a  discrimination  between  the  theories  relative 
to  it.  These  I  leave  in  more  competent  hands.  These  I  pre- 
sume, you  have  received  from  your  able  and  faithful  corps  of 
instructors.  I  prefer  to  employ  this  occasion  in  impressing 
upon  your  minds  the  duty  of  striving  to  form  a  correct  self- 
estimation. 

This  is  a  lesson,  not  only  suitable  for  the  young  gentleman 
who  has  finished  his  collegiate  or  academic  course,  but  likewise 
for  the  student  of  every  literary  grade  below  him.  It  is  for  all. 

I  need  not  remind  you  that  this  advice  diverts  you  at  once 

^         from  the    beaten  track  of  popular   example.     Man,  thougli 

^1  charged  with  being  excessively  selfish,  seems  to  make  an  q\- 

>sS  fort  to  redeem  himself  from  liability  to  this  charge,  by  taxing 


his  powers,  draining  the  sources  of  his  information,  and  spend- 
ing his  time,  in  weighing  and  measuring  the  history,  character 
and  interests  of  others.  We  will  not  attempt  to  traverse  to- 
gether this  promenading  ground  of  the  multitude,  not  even  to 
give  a  particular  caution  against  the  many  flowers  and  fruits 
that  bloom  and  grow,  by  illusion,  under  the  upas  that  shades 
it ;  but  direct  our  steps  in  a  narrower  and  more  rugged  path, 
made  healthful  with  the  atmosphere  of  valuable  truth. 

The  ancients  regarded  the  maxim,  "know  thyself^"  with 
great  veneration.  Thales,  one  of  the  seven  wise  men  of  Greece, 
is  said  to  have  been  the  first  author  of  it.  It  is  one  of  the 
three  precepts  which  Pliny  affirms  to  have  been  consecrated 
at  Delphos  in  golden  letters.  At  length  it  acquired  the  au- 
thority of  a  divine  oracle ;  and  was  supposed  to  have  been 
given  originally  by  Apollo  himself.  Cicero  gives  the  follow- 
ing reason  for  this  opinion  :  "  because  it  hath  such  a  weight 
of  sense  and  wisdom  in  it  as  appears  too  great  to  be  attributed 
to  any  man."  Pope  endorses  this  ancient  opinion  when 
he  says, 

*'  'Tis  virtue  only  makes  our  bliss  below, 
And  all  our  knowledge  is  ourselves  to  know." 

In  fixing  before  the  mind  the  point  at  which  we  should 
aim  our  present  strength,  acquirements  and  circumstances, 
should  be  carefully  surveyed.  What  am  I  now  ?  is  the  first 
question  to  be  answered'.  After  this,  the  mind's  cajpacities 
should  be  measured  as  accurately  as  possible,  and  the  true 
estimates  of  its  powers  telegraphed  upon  every  page  of  devel- 
opement  along  the  line  of  life,  so  that  as  we  pass  the  playing 
wire-points  we  may  read  not  only  what  we  are^  but  what  we 
may,  by  exertion,  become. 

In  the  effort  we  make,  not  only  too  Jiigh^  but  too  low  an  esti- 
mate should  be  avoided.  But  in  striving  to  attain  this  point, 
we  should  not  forget  that  it  is  environed  with  much  difficulty. 


It  is  by  no  means  easy  to  pass  between  this  Scylla  and  Charyb- 
dis  while  the  adverse  winds  blow  upon  its.  Thales  asserted 
it  to  be,  in  his  opinion,  the  "  hardest  thing  in  the  world  for  a 
man  to  know  himself."  Plutarch  is  said  to  have  remarked, 
"  If  it  were  a  thing  obvious  and  easy  for  every  man  to  know 
himself,  possibly  that  saying,  '  know  thyself,'  had  not  passed 
for  a  divine  oracle,"  A  yet  higher  authority  propounds  the 
significant  question  in  reference  to  the  "  heart  of  man,"  "  who 
can  know  it  ?" 

Even  a  superficial  glance  at  the  subject  will  satisfy  us  that 
we  undertake  no  easy  work  when  we  assume  to  weigh  self  in 
the  balances.  There  are  reasons  why  the  student,  as  well  as 
other  men,  is  in  danger  of  falling  helow  the  proper  estimate  of 
himself.  He  has  been  remarkably  fortunate  if  he  has  not, 
even  in  a  few  short  years  of  scolastic  training,  found  barriers 
in  the  way  of  his  advancement  in  literature  \^hicli  he  could 
not  break  down  without  the  help  of  others.  These  failures 
tend  to  mantle  the  mind  with  discouragement.  The  fev/  inter- 
veuing  years  between  the  attempted  self-analysis  and  the  time 
when  h<3  was  confessedly  without  claims  to  mental  strength 
and  acquirements,  fetter  the  judgment  and  argue  against  his 
elevation.  The  want  of  acquaintance  with  the  vnde  range  of 
subjects  inviting  intellectual  eftort  and  afi*ording  intellectual 
pleasure,  depresses  the  mind  ;  and  this  is  increased  when  those 
who  are  stronger  than  we,  who  commenced  their  career  with 
us,  gain  the  mountain  top  before  we  reach  it,  and  feast  the  eye 
on  a  more  extended  and  delightful  vision.  And  if  the  young 
man  has  struggled  up  through  the  vale  of  poverty,  destitute 
of  the  social  polish  and  other  advantages  incident  to  cultiva- 
ted society  and  worldly  competency,  the  perpetually  recurring 
insinuation  that  "  this  is  the  carpenter's  son" — "  his  opportu- 
nity has  not  been  good" — "his  means  are  limited  " — '^  but  he 
deserves  great  credit  eve7i  for  what  he  is"— clips  the  wings  of 


the  ascending  eagle  and  throws  his  loftiest  circlings  further 
l)eneath  the  sun.  We  should  therefore  guard  against  these 
weights  tliat  bear  lis  down  in  our  decision  of  what  we  now 
are,  or  what  we  are  capable  of  becoming.  When  these  clogs 
iiang  around  us,  and  augment  the  difficulty  of  our  work,  let 
lis  remember  that, 

"The  wise  and  prudent  conquer  difficulties 
By  daring  to  attempt  them.     Sloili  and  folly 
Shiver  and  shrink  at  sight  of  toil  and  danger, 
And  make  the  impossibility  they  fear." 

On  the  other  hand,  there  is  great  danger  of  fixing  our  deci^ 
sion,  in  one  sense  at  least,  too  liigh.  The  pride  of  man's  heart 
lifts  up  his  judgment  when  he  brings  it  to  play  upon  himself. 
The  flattery  of  affected  friends  may  blind  a  more  than  ordina- 
rily clear  mental  ej^e.  A  few  successful  struggles  with  diffi- 
culties may  give  a  dangerous  boldness.  Comparison  with 
those  who  are  not  priviledged  to  dwell  in  "  classic  halls,*'  and 
even  with  less  industrious  or  less  intellectual  fellow-students, 
may  cause  us  to  add  value  to  our  real  worth.  It  is  not  uncom- 
moji  to  find  in  ourselves  a  kinship  to  the  reported  sage  of  Bos- 
ton, llis  creed  is  said  to  have  been  the  following :  Massa- 
chusetts is  one  of  the  original  thirteen  States  of  the  Union, 
with  educational  and  other  facilities  in  advance  of  her  sister 
States,  and  therefore  ought  to  have  a  controling  influence  in 
the  council  of  the  nation.  Boston  is  the  principal  city  of  Mas- 
sachusetts, possessing  a  large  population,  great  wealth  and 
intelligence,  and  therefore  should  control  the  State,  /am  the 
oldest  citizen  of  Boston,  with  much  experience  and  mature 
judgment,  and  therefore  Boston  should  be  controlled  b}^  me. 
The  old  man's  relatives  are  still  living  in  Boston,  and  some  of 
\\\v\\\  are  scattered  over  every  State,  county,  towm  and  neigh- 
borhood. Let  us  strive  honestly  and  earnestly  to  repudiate 
this  relationship. 


The  effort  to  reach  a  correct  conclusion  relative  to  ourselves 
should  direct  itself,  first,  to  owe  positive  character.  Man  is 
often  called  upon  to  act  alone^  and  his  response  must  have  sole 
reference  to  his  own  ability.  When  this  is  the  case,  it  is  much 
more  valuable  for  us  to  know  the  exact  strength  we  possess, 
than  to  mark  the  proportion  between  it  and  that  which  carried 
off  the  gates  of  Gaza.  When  we  look  to  personal  privilege, 
personal  responsibility,  personal  achievement,  the  question  for 
us  is,  What  can  /  enjoy  f  What  can  I  hear?  What  can  / 
accomplish  ? 

Our  estimate  should  also  take  into  the  account  a  just  com- 
parison with  others.  The  moon  blushes  in  darkness  at  the 
approach  of  the  sun,  while  she  smiles  with  queenly  beauty  and 
majesty  upon  the  lesser  faces  of  a  thousand  stars.  So  the 
young  Ciceronian  pours  forth  his  eloquence,  and  the  Philo- 
matheaiir talks  of  his  love  of  learning,  and  an  audience  listens, 
admires  and  applauds,  but  the  presence  of  the  old  masters  of 
Greece  and  Rome  would  deprive  us  of  our  feast.  The  shining 
epaulettes  of  a  "  general  review  "  (so  important  in  the  history 
of  our  country  that  it  assembles  multitudes  of  young  and  old, 
male  an^  female^  white  and  black,)  should  point  their  honored, 
influential  and  authoritative  wearer  into  private  ranks  at  the 
appearance  of  Winfield  Scott,  and  cause  the  retiring  com- 
mandant respectfully  to  decline  "  talking  of  war  in  the  pre- 
sence of  Ilannibal.''  It  were  a  well  merited  honor  to  be  chosen 
President  of  your  Literary  Society,  but  you  are  not  therefore 
to  infer  your  competency  to  preside  over  the  assembled  repre- 
sentatives of  a  State  or  ISTation.  By  keeping  our  relation  to 
others  in  view,  we  are  furnished  with  a  sliding  scale  by  which 
we  are  at  one  time  jirst^  and  at  another  last^  of  those  witli 
whom  we  are  compared  ;  and  this  is  of  great  importance  to 
us  and  to  them  in  our  intercourse  with  men. 


8 


We  sliould  likewise  carry  this  effort  to  all  subjects  of  thought 
and  action.  This  lesson  we  are  all  liable  to  forget,  and  espe- 
cially the  student  who  has  been  for  years  pursuing  successful- 
ly his  studies.  He  has  learned  much  of  his  books  ;  but  when 
he  therefore  claims  superior  attainments  upon  all  subjects,  he 
must  fail  to  support  his  pretensions.  The  man  who  is  prepar- 
ed to  rise  and  fall  like  the  ocean  wave,  standing  high  as  he 
passes  one  subject  of  thought  or  action,  and  gracefully  de- 
scending out  of  sight  as  he  touches  one  that  he  does  not  under- 
stand, gives  proof  of  a  profitable  self-knowledge.  This  is  par- 
ticularly necessary  in  our  free  country,  where  the  citizen  can 
condemn  with  impunity  the  action  of  a  President  without  being 
able  to  spell  his  name  ;  a  client  who  never  read  a  chapter  in 
Blackstone  can  censure  his  lawyer  for  want  of  legal  attain- 
ments ;  the  patient,  (especially  if  convalescent)  treat  with  con- 
tempt the  doctor's  skill  and  drugs  ;  the  merchant  and  banker 
deliver  agricultural  lectures ;  the  plow  boy  discourse  on  com- 
merce in  general,  and  exchanges  and  tariffs  in  particular  ;  the 
scholar  whose  diploma  testifies  that  he  "  went  through  "  Web- 
ster's Spelling  Book,  cyphered  to  the  single  rule  of  three  in  Pike, 
and  "  turned  out  the  school  master"  at  Christmas,  pronounces 
a  College  President  and  Professors  incompetent  to  teach 
Mathematics  and  the  languages ;  and  the  man  who  never 
reads  his  Bible  passes  upon  the  theology  of  a  sermon  from  the 
lips  or  pen  of  a  hoary-headed  divine.  This  political,  civil, 
social  liberty,  which  I  would  not  abridge,  should  nevertheless 
always  be  held  under  the  restraints  of  common  sense,  asking 
and  answering  the  question,  What  do  I  know  about  the  par- 
ticular subject  upon  which  I  am  assuming  to  judge?  I  make 
not  the  most  remote  reflection  upon  any  man  for  his  want  of 
knowledge,  provided  he  is  not  wilfully  ignorant,  but  I  do  urge 
upon  every  student  belonging  to  the  societies  here,  the  impor- 
tance and  duty  of  shunning  such  foolishness  as  I  have  alluded 


to,  by  connecting  their  just  self-estimation  with  every  subject 
upon  which  they  think,  speak,  write  or  act. 

You  will  perhaps  find  a  place  for  this  lesson  as  soon  as  you 
return  to  the  old  homestead.  Your  father  and  mother,  whose 
industry  and  economy  have  afforded  you  facilities  for  educa- 
tion which  they  never  enjoyed,  anxiously  await  your  coming. 
It  is  not  unmanly  to  meet  them  with  heart  and  tears  of  joy, 
melting  you  down  even  to  unnecessary  deference  to  their 
position,  opinions  and  wishes.  But  to  carry  with  you  the 
ridiculous  fallacy  upon  your  demeanor  that  the  knowledge 
you  have  gained  here  makes  you  wiser  on  everij  subject  than 
they  are,  will  be  to  send  back  a  blush  of  shame  for  the  face 
of  your  instructors,  damage  the  cause  of  education,  detract 
from  the  strength  and  fullness  of  parental  respect  and  love, 
and  betoken  for  you  an  uncertain  if  not  disastrous  future.  I 
have  not  kept  my  eyes  closed  upon  the  face  of  society.  I 
have  seen  what  I  caution  you  against.  For  a  son  to  treat  witii 
contempt  the  advice  and  opinions  of  a  father,  because  he  is 
not  acquainted  with  Mathematics,  Greek  and  Latin,  or  even 
the  English  Grammar,  Geography,  &c.,  is  so  low  a  descent 
from  the  true  position  of  a  student  that  we  decline  any  further 
notice  of  the  folly  or  of  him  who  would  be  guilty  of  it. 

Every  period  of  our  existence  should  be  embraced  in  our 
calculation.  It  is  not  enough  that  it  draw  its  figures  upon 
our  childhood  or  academic  course,  but  the  man  of  middle  age, 
the  old  man,  and  higher  still,  the  immortal  man^  should  be 
brought  in  review  before  us.  It  is  not  my  work  of  to-day  to 
preach  you  a  sermon :  this  has  been  earnestly  and  ably  done 
by  others  at  earlier  periods  of  the  exercises,  but  I  must  be 
allowed  the  privilege  of  recording  upon  your  youthful  minds 
this  truth,  that  estimate  is  fearfully  defective  which  does  not 
lirik  itself  to  a  future  state  of  existence. 


10 


A  passing  hint  at  some  of  the  means  by  which  this  self- 
knowledge  is  obtained,  may  not  be  out  bf  place. 

By  an  impartial  and  habitual  cognizance  of  the  powers,  dis- 
positions, &c.,  of  the  mind ;  close  observation  of  the  external 
influences  -with  which  our  lives  are  interwoven ;  and,  in  short, 
every  element,  witliin  and  without,  that  goes  to  make  up  the 
man,  should  arrest  our  attention  and  give  w^ork  to  our  judg- 
ment. If  we  fail  to  use  this  means,  all  others  will  be  insuffi- 
cient. In  addition  to  this,  we  may  profitably  gather  the  opin- 
ion of  friends.  True,  the  world's  currency  which  we  call 
friendship,  is  not  always  genuine.  Allowance  of  large  jper 
C'Cnt  must  often  be  made  for  the  too  favorable  opinions  of  real 
friends,  and  the  flattery  of  those  wdio  wish  to  deceive  us  under 
this  name,  or  have  not  the  moral  courage  to  tell  us  of  our  faults. 
But  there  are  friends,  who  by  their  well-timed  reproof  or  com- 
mendation, expressed  in  language  and  actions,  will  furnish  us 
aid  in  tliis  difficult  work.  Even  our  enemies  or  opponents 
aftord  us  help.  An  undesigned  compliment  is  not  unfre- 
quently  hurled  at  us  by  the  arm  of  hatred.  "  Envj^  selects  a 
shining  mark,"  so  that  it  may  be  our  very  excellence  or 
strength  of  character  that  excites  the  malice  of  foes.  Or  on 
the  other  hand,  they  may  truthfully,  but  in  a  bad  spirit  and 
with  an  evil  design,  read  us  a  chapter  whose  record  greatly 
detracts  from  our  worth.  But  where  we  stand  specially  rela- 
ted to  them,  so  that  they,  as  well  as  we,  are  involved  in  the  issue, 
we  can  gain  much  from  those  with  whom  we  contend.  A  sort 
of  natural  demand  on  the  part  of  every  beligerent,  no  matter 
where  he  contends,  is  for  a  "  foeman  worthy  of  his  steel." 
''•  Grreek  meets  Greek,"  from  the  discussions  in  your  Societies, 
to  the  American  Congress  or  the  British  House  of  Lords ; 
from  single-handed  personal  contests  to  the  long  drawn  line 
of  marshalled  soldiers.  IsTapoleon  Bonaparte  was  reminded  of 
his  strength  when  trembling  Europe  shook  her  mightiest  Cap- 


11 


tains  from  posts  of  honor  to  posts  of  peril,  and  plunged  them 
together  in  one  last  and  successful  struggle  against  the  con- 
solidation of  tlie  eastern  world.  The  bloody  contest  of  the 
Crimea,  over  which  the  patience  of  the  world  seems  almost 
exhausted,  and  the  stubbornness  of  Sebastopol  against  the 
boasts  and  balls  of  the  allied  Powers,  only  tells  what  was 
clearly  written  in  the  fact  that  the  relative  and  successor  of 
Xapoleon  forgot  his  death  groans  at  St.  Helena,  and  formed 
an  alliance  with  that  nation  which  could  not  trust  its  power, 
but  invoked  the  chained  genius  of  a  mighty  man  to  haunt  his 
degredation,  and  the  rugged  arm  of  the  barren  rocks  to  ex- 
press the  last  bitter  life-drop  from  its  captive.  France  and 
England,  bound  together  by  a  broad  surface  of  temporary  in- 
terest, but  anchored  to  each  other  by  a  chain  of  submarine 
cursings,  proclaim  Russia  powerful,  and  Russia  sends  back  the 
compliment. 

In  order  to  be  most  successful  in  reaching  a  correct  conclu- 
sion of  our  worth,  npon  all  these  means  must  shine  the  fode- 
less  light  of  God's  truth.  The  Bible  not  only  reveals  God 
to  man,  but  man  to  himself.  It  teaches  him  in  all  the  rela- 
tions of  life.  And  more  than  this,  it  furnishes  the  only  means 
by  which  we  can  trace  our  real  value  beyond  the  grave.  Let 
its  voice  mingle  with  the  voice  of  friends  Y\dien  they  talk  of 
you,  and  change  even  tlie  anathamas  of  your  enemies  into 
guardian  angels  to  "  encamp  round  about  you"  in  life's  war- 
fare ;  and  let  its  hand  hang  up  a  thousand  lamps  in  your  hearts, 
whose  light  shall  render  you  transparent  to  yourselves  and 
reach  to  the  outer  limits  of  your  character  and  influence. 

Let  ns  linger  for  a  few  moments  around  the  obvious  value 
of  the  attainment  to  which  you  are  pointed.  Its  effect  upon 
him  who  reaches  any  good  degree  towards  it,  is  a  sufficient  in- 
centive to  strive  after  it.     If  it  reveals  defects  in  us,  it  gives 


12 


us  the  pleasure  of  supplying  what  we  lack  ;  if  redundancies 
are  thereby  discovered,  we  may  cut  them  off  and  be  free  from 
their  load ;  if  there  are  intellectual  or  moral  affinities  or  antip- 
qthies,  it  is  our  joj^ous  work  to  bring  about,  as  far  as  may  be, 
the  requisite  harmony  of  our  nature,  or  foster  the  Providential 
bias  that  points  to  the  brightest.^oal.  The  mere  acquisition 
of  truth,  (if  there  is  nothing  ])0%itively  painful  in  it,)  affords 
pleasure  to  the  mind  ;  much  more  a  truth  upon  which  hang, 
in  pleasing  equipoise,  the  thoughts,  words  and  actions  of  life. 

If  we  fix  our  conclusion  too  low,  we  at  least  deprive  our- 
selves of  a  portion  of  the  mental  good  in  store  for  us,  by  doing 
less  than  we  miglit  perform,  and  thus  circumscribing  the  ben- 
efits of  our  influence  upon  others.  Although  it  is  pleasant  to 
carry  with  us  any  honor  from  an  institution  of  learning  whose 
grade  of  scholarship  is  high,  he  who,  by  undervaluing  his  abil- 
ity, wears  the  third,  or  even  second,  when  he  might  have  worn 
the  first,  has  lost  the  ripest  cluster  of  literary  fruit,  and^some 
part  of  that  power  by  which  he  should  have  done  good  to  oth- 
ers. So  in  all  the  walks  of  life,  the  mind  robs  itself  of  the  fall 
measure  of  delight  by  inscribing  its  own  tablet  with  an  under 
valuation.  In  halls  of  learning,  deliberative  bodies,  profes- 
sional duties,  agricultural  pursuits,  mechanical  arts,  tlie  field, 
the  forum,  truthful  claims  manfully  maintained,  secure  the 
fullest  measure  of  success,  and  therefore  the  largest  mental 
pleasure,  and  the  greatest  good  to  our  race. 

It  is  at  least  equally  necessary  that  we  avoid  the  opposite 
error.  Let  a  man  "  think  more  highly  of  himself  than  he 
ought  to  think,"  and  it  becomes  a  corroding  canker  to  eat  out 
the  peace  of  his  heart.  He  expects  that  his  services  will  be 
loudly  demanded  by  a  thousand  tongues,  and  to  his  mortifica- 
tion there  is  a  profound  silence  in  the  world,  or  now  and  then 
a  half  suppressed  invitation  to  take  some  position  which  he 
regards  as  far  below  him.     Vexed  at  the  long  and  strange 


13 


delay,  lie  urges  his  claims  "upon  society,  and  they  are  repu- 
diated. This  at  once  curtails  his  influence  for  good,  and 
pours  the  gall  of  disappointment  into  his  own  heart.  Had 
he  carefully  performed  an  admeasurement  of  himself,  and 
written  out  the  result  in  letters  of  truth,  a  lower  and  more 
pleasant  sphere  of  action  w6-i;ild  have  been  allotted  him,  from 
which  his  ascent,  under  the  strength  of  developed  capacity, 
might  have  been  easy.  Is  not  this  in  strict  accordance  with 
facts  ?  The  graduate  of  one  of  pur  colleges  leaves  his  Alma 
Mater  complaining  that  a  man  of  his  talent  must  take  charge 
of  what  he  calls  an  "old  field  school,"  or  "small  fry"  acade- 
my. But  it  is  perhaps  a  matter  of  pecuniary  necessity,  and 
he  yields,  with  perpetual  grumbling,  to  his  fate.  He  publish- 
es his  purpose  to  accept  the  more  elligibe  situation  that  will 
doubtless  soon  be  tendered  him.  So  that  even  what  he  does 
for  the  advancement  of  his  pupils  is  not  appreciated,  because 
of  the  false  estimate  he  has  placed  upon  his  claims,  and  he  is 
not  more  willing  than  his  patrons  to  break  the  academic  fet- 
ters and  "let  the  oppressed  go  free."  Or  the  young  man 
studies  medicine  :  Not  content  to  take  a  position  in  the  com- 
munity of  his  choice  as  young  in  experience,,  though  from 
under  the  hand  of  an  able  medical  faculty,  he  impatiently 
claims  to  be  fully  prepared  to  meet  disease  in  all  its  fearful 
forms.  Though  enjoying  high  personal  respect  and  growing 
confidence  in  his  professional  skill,  he  pronounces  his  limited 
patronage  from  the  sick  room,  the  result  of  stupid  ignorance. 
I  need  not  say,  his  lancet  will  rust,  his  pills  dry,  his  drops 
evaporate,  and  the  rats  eat  holes  in  his  powder  papers.  His 
exalted  estimate  of  self  superinduces  a  professional  failure, 
and  thus  denies  him  competency  or  fortune^  as  well  as  the 
almost  unparallelled  pleasure  of  restoring  the  sick  to  health 
and  friends.  Or  he  may  turn  his  mind  to  the  science  of  gov- 
ernment, as  many  of  our  young  men  do.     We  will  not  deny 


14 


Lis  patriotism,— he  loves  his  country.  If  jou  choose,  he  hon- 
estly believes  in  the  principles  of  his  party.  He  fCttends  "  pri- 
mary meetings,"  and  delegated  conventions,  to  select  suitable 
men  for  office.  He  has  made  one  mistake.  Self  just  fills  up 
the  vacant  place.  "When  he  intimates  to  some  confidential 
friend  that  though  at  great  personal  sacrifice  he  would  accept 
the  nomination,  and  makes  the  same  reluctant  disclosure  to  a 
great  many  others,  (especially  if  they  are  delegates,)  his  too 
high  estimate  of  his  ability,  &c.,  is  scattering  the  frosts  around 
him  that  nip  the  opening  bud  of  promise,  and  contribute  to 
wither  the  foliage  of  that  tree,  othervzise  green  under  the  dews 
of  truth.  Even  the  minister  may  so  far  miss  the  mark  at 
which  he  should  conscienciously  and  constantly  aim,  as  to  more 
than  insinuate  the  dullness  of  his  congregation  in  their  failure 
to  recognize  his  pulpit  powders.  He  may  complain  that  his 
profound,  learning,  acute  logic,  glowing  rhetoric,  soul-born 
pathos,  are  lost  upon  the  wnnds.  He  overrates  his  ability,  and 
consequently  is  betrayed  into  this  unseemly  censure,  and  must 
weep,  (if  he  have  a  heart  to  weep,)  over  waning  usefulness 
and  joy. 

Into  these  and  other  professions  and  callings  yon  expect  to 
enter,  when  you  take  your  places  on  the  busy  theatre  of  life. 
If  you  would  avoid  disappointment,  mortification,  dwarfish 
joys,  limited  good  to  others,  eccentric  success,  (if  success  at 
all,)  turn  the  powers  of  your  mind,  as  a  friendly  battery,  upon 
yourself.  Look  through  the  great  telescope  of  truth,  and  mea- 
sure the  dimensions  of  your  present  attainments  upon  all  sub- 
jects, and  3^our  capacity  to  increase  them.  Sweep  with  that 
mighty  instrument  not  only  the  valleys  and  mountains  of  earth 
upon  which  jow  perform  your  varied  pilgrimage  through  life, 
but  the  unmeasured  disc  of  eternity's  sun,  in  whose  light  shall 
be  the  perpetual  unfoldings  of  your  immortality.  Strive  to 
do  this,  and  the  rivulets  and  brooks  of  life  shall  refresh  you 


15 


amid  your  toil ;  earth's  darkest  storms  be  borne  from  yoiir 
hearts  upon  the  bosom  of  hope's  brightest  bow,  and  kissed 
into  cahn  with  its  smiles  ;  and  though  you  may  not,  like 
Columbus,  plow  an  unknown  sea,  inscribe  your  name  upon 
the  epitaph  of  the  savage,  and  hang  up  a  duplicate  to  blaze 
in  the  brightest  glory  of  civilization  ;  like  Fulton,  write  your 
history  upon  the  commerce  of  the  world  ;  like  Franklin,  fringe 
your  fame  with  lightening ;  or  like  Morse,  bind  the  hearts  of 
nations  together  by 'the  pulsations  of  electricity,  and  daily 
pour  the  intelligence  of  a  large  portion  of  the  globe  into 
one  common  reservoir ;  each  one  of  you  may  write  his  name 
upon  the  hearts  of  men  and  the  book  of  life,  the  weal  of  the 
world  and  amid  the  autographs  of  angels. 


